Features & Updates

Just Purchased Sandbox - How do I get started?

Julia Erman
April 30, 2019

If you just purchased Sandbox you might be thinking, now what? Getting your center started with a new child care management system is no small task. Like many of our Sandbox customers there are many different ways to start out. Some customers take one section at a time and then work their way through launching the entire system, others tackle it all at once.

Today, I am going to walk you through my suggested process in launching Sandbox at your center. This is not meant to overwhelm you, but rather FOCUS you throughout the process. The great news is we are here to help. As you begin the process and throughout please don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team at any time.


Import Your Data

As soon as you purchase is a great time to start talking with our support team about importing your data. This is very effective for centers that are currently up and running and maybe even have another child care software system. You simply send us your information and we will import as much as we possibly can. Normally we are able to import the child and guardians basic information.

If you're a newer center or starting a new enrollment period at the time of purchase the best way to add families into the system is through the online registration form. This is a simple and great way for families to do all the hard work for you! See further down the list for more information regarding online registration.


Set-up Trainings and Update your Settings

With the purchase of Sandbox your center will have two training sessions. It is important to set these up right away so you can start using your new account. During the training, our Support Team will teach you how to use the software and also assist you with the configuration of the Settings section in your account. We highly recommend that you do not skip the training sessions. They will be extremely helpful and will get you started on the right foot. The Settings to your account are very important, you want them set up correctly from the start.

If you are eager to get started, there are a few things in the Settings tab that you can update. First, confirm the contact information under Company Info. Make sure that this is your center information because this is what will generate on all your company wide reports and will be sent out to families. You can also add in your account information under the Payment Processing section. This will allow our training team to show you the full functionality of the Billing section during your training. If you do not plan to use the Billing section in Sandbox, you can skip this part.

Online Registration Forms

After your first training session with our Support Team, this is a great time to send over your registration or application forms. With a short three day turn around, we will customize and build these forms in the system for you. Once they are completed, you will have a link in your Settings tab that will pull up your personalized online enrollment forms. This is a great link to add to your website or send out via email to your center’s families when it is time to enroll. As previously mentioned, if you are just starting out or entering a new enrollment period, this is the best way to add families into your Sandbox account.


Add Enrollments

Whether you added your children in via date import or the Online Registration Form, you will still need to go into your account and add an enrollment for each child. Once you have added all the enrollments you will be able to print-off lists and reports to reflect on them. We will show you how to do this during your first training session!


Add Staffing Team into Sandbox

Once all your children are in Sandbox, it’s time to add your Staffing team. We suggest adding in their basic information to start, as well as a TimeClock passcode which will allow them to clock-in/out using the Sandbox TimeClock feature.

You will also want to add each team member who will need access to Sandbox or the Teacher App in the Users section in Settings. In Sandbox you can add multiple users at no extra cost and you can apply roles to restrict their access. By default we have a Director/Supervisor role and a Teacher role, however, this section is customizable so you can add your own roles and select the individual permissions for each role. We also give you additional options like restricting users to a specific class if necessary. Once you have added your team they have immediate access so they can sign in and look around.


Train Your Team

Once your Settings are configured and your children are in Sandbox with active enrollments, it is time to train your team. Training your team will vary depending on how you choose to utilize Sandbox in your center. Here are the basics that we suggest while training your lead teachers:

  • Using the TimeClock (staff and families)
  • Download the Teacher App
  • Messaging Families
  • Posting Photos and Updates
  • Accessing Child File Information (allergies, immunizations, etc)


Invite Parents to Sandbox:

Now that your account is all set up and your team knows how to use it, invite your families to the Parent Portal. This will allow your families to receive messages, center and class updates, as well as update their child’s information and billing.

Final Notes:

By no means is this an exhaustive list, but as I mentioned before, my desire is to help you focus. As you begin to follow these items and set up your account, the rest will fall into place! The good news is that our Support Team is here to help! If at any point in the process you have any questions, please just click the help chat box or give us a call. Your centers success is our biggest goal!


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